HISTORICAL GENRE: European Historical RomanceSETTING: England 1876HEROINE: 37 year old retired courtesan with a son

Once, a long time ago, Coco Wild learned to never allow a man's kiss to move her, for that way led to downfall. A slender beauty with alluring eyes, she built impregnable defenses around her emotions. The men who came to adore her, fought to conquer her and learn her mysteries, made her the toast of London, but none were able to rouse her passions. But that hard-taught lesson is about to unravel because of Sir James Stoker. Back in England with a treasure of gold from his adventures, newly knighted by Queen Victoria herself, and feted everywhere, the handsome explorer has the world at his feet. He's exactly the man Coco might have dreamed about when she was young: a tall, fair hero with a charming smile. Now he's turned his energy toward winning her, the most desirable and the least attainable woman he knows; and Coco's aft-aid James may just find his way past the thorns that have so long protected her from the world, and awaken her slumbering heart...with just one kiss.

2 Reviews:

And the romance? Just beautiful. The theme here is both characters' awakening, not sexual, but emotional awakening, Sleeping Beauty style, and there is a poetic scene in the dentist's office where under the influence of nitrous oxide, she experiences a revelation. (read more)

Judith Ivory does not idealize her heroes and heroines. Certainly they are always larger than life, but she is such a close and truthful observer of human behavior that the portraits she draws are not uniformly pretty. While some readers may find this unappealing, others such as myself find it utterly fascinating. Sleeping Beauty will definitely have my vote for one of the best books of the year. (read more)